The following are more mails we have recently received via Community Messages, all about Fraud:

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau’s (NFIB) Proactive Intelligence Team is warning people of a new method of fraud whereby fraudsters are exploiting the delay in the replacement of victims’ bank cards by intercepting their mail. According to the NFIB, fraudsters have identified that if a genuine banking customer requests a new card to replace a damaged one, some banks will send the replacement card but not cancel the damaged card straight away, leaving it active for several days.
Fraudsters target letterboxes in communal flats and premises that lack security and CCTV to steal victims’ mail, specifically banking documentation. Having identified a victim via the stolen letters and open source information, fraudsters have all the personal information they need. The fraudster calls the bank pretending to be the customer. They state that the plastic bank card has snapped but is still functioning, and that they will need a replacement sent to their home address. The fraudster returns a few days later to steal the bank card contained within the mail and utilises it for fraudulent purposes. Victims won’t become aware of the fraud until several days later when their original card stops working and they get in touch with their bank.
Research conducted for Action Fraud’s “Not With My Name” campaign found that 71% of people do not regularly redirect their post for at least six months when they move house. Also, 1 in 3 people don't shred letters before throwing them away. This leaves people vulnerable to bank statements and other mail being intercepted by fraudsters. A convicted fraudster told the NFIB, “identity fraud is dead easy, it’s like any scam, you just need to plan it through. Do your homework, think it out, keep it simple and look for the system flaws”.
Protection advice from the ‘Not With My Name’ campaign:
 Always destroy or securely store personal documents.
 Check your bank and financial statements carefully and report anything suspicious to the bank or financial service provider concerned. When getting rid of personal documents always destroy them – rip up or shred.
 If you have a communal mailbox or one in a shared area, empty it frequently.
 If you move home set up a redirection with Royal Mail for at least a year and notify your bank, credit card companies and other organisations you deal with ASAP.
 Personally assess your communal mail area for vulnerabilities and consult with your premises management team about implementing added security measures.

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A convicted fraudster has told the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau’s (NFIB) Proactive Intelligence Team that everyone who opens a bank account should be forced to sign-up to a credit reference agency to protect themselves from criminals. Credit reference agencies (CRAs) give lenders a range of information about potential borrowers, which lenders use to make decisions about whether they will offer you credit or not. They hold information about most adults in the UK.
Using a credit reference agency can help you spot if someone is misusing your personal information before you suffer any financial loss. A credit report, for example, will show you any searches done by a lender, what date the search took place, what name and address it was done against and also for what type of application. It will also show what credit accounts are set up in your name.
A convicted fraudster told the NFIB: “I always use these agencies. Not only to search for victim’s details and credit ratings - but to protect my own identity. They will email you whenever someone applies for a bank account or loan/purchase etc in your name”. He goes on to say that: “People should use these services rather than being victims for years and ruining their credit rating. If you are registered and I try to access your information, just by getting a single digit wrong on the ID procedure will block me out – forcing me to target someone else. For a small payment each month, it is definitely worth it. This should be mandatory for anyone opening a bank account”. Some of the major credit reference agencies offer a credit report checking service that alerts you to any key changes on your credit file that could indicate potential fraudulent activity.

2/10/15

Fraud Alert

Please be aware of recent fraud activity that is targeting business’s within our Region.

Fraudsters are ringing up company wage clerks/finance directors claiming to be from Barclay’s Fraud department and gaining permission to remotely access the victim’s computer system. This is on the pretence that there business account has been compromised.

The victim opens up the bank account, the fraudster then transfers the money into what they state will be the company’s new, none compromised account. The funds are then automatically distributed in seconds.  

Total regional losses have exceeded £1 million.

Protect your company

Do not be afraid to end cold calls

Do not to assume a caller is genuine just because they hold some information about you. Criminals may already have got hold of some basic information about a potential victim, such as a name, address and account details to try to make the call appear legitimate.

If in any doubt hang up and call the bank yourself on numbers you know are genuine, however be sure to hang the phone up long enough to prevent the fraudster holding the line open.    NEVER call the bank back on the number the caller provides you.

The Bank will never call and ask for remote access to your computers or for passwords to access your accounts.

If you are a victim of “Vishing” call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online tool to report the fraud and receive a police crime reference number.